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Exercise FormVideos, articles and resources to help you with your squat, deadlift, bench press form and more.

Big Sleep: Conventional/ Pull yourself down in position this will do 2 things; Puts tension in the lats/takes slack out of the bar 2) makes your shoulders rise with your hips. First see how this changes your conventional before I'll offer anything else

Would need to see side view too on sumo's but will offer initially the same advice while your going down to the bar you have tension on your quads but are pulling yourself into position with your lats, then explode and drive hips forward.

Big Sleep: Conventional/ Pull yourself down in position this will do 2 things; Puts tension in the lats/takes slack out of the bar 2) makes your shoulders rise with your hips. First see how this changes your conventional before I'll offer anything else

This. Not being tight before you pull is your most glaring weakness. It could be causing other problems for you as well, but there is no way to tell until you correct it.

As far as your sumo goes, I would say it's no good. Your feet are not wide enough. This is preventing you from squatting down to the bar so you can keep your chest up properly. You are basically slumped over when you begin the pull. Here also, you need to take the slack out of the bar and tighten up your back, but the biggest issue is widening your stance so you can drop your hips correctly. Think getting into the hole of a squat. Look up at the videos posted right before yours. That is me pulling sumo looking like big-bird in the yellow shirt. I am no sumo technician, but I think it is pretty good. If you watch the video, you will see what I mean about squatting down to the bar and keeping your chest up. A good cue for you on this might be to look up at a 45 degree angle.

Big Sleep: Conventional/ Pull yourself down in position this will do 2 things; Puts tension in the lats/takes slack out of the bar 2) makes your shoulders rise with your hips. First see how this changes your conventional before I'll offer anything else

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneMorePlate

Would need to see side view too on sumo's but will offer initially the same advice while your going down to the bar you have tension on your quads but are pulling yourself into position with your lats, then explode and drive hips forward.

Thanks 1MR, I will work on this and re-post vids

Quote:

Originally Posted by afraziaaaa

This. Not being tight before you pull is your most glaring weakness. It could be causing other problems for you as well, but there is no way to tell until you correct it.

As far as your sumo goes, I would say it's no good. Your feet are not wide enough. This is preventing you from squatting down to the bar so you can keep your chest up properly. You are basically slumped over when you begin the pull. Here also, you need to take the slack out of the bar and tighten up your back, but the biggest issue is widening your stance so you can drop your hips correctly. Think getting into the hole of a squat. Look up at the videos posted right before yours. That is me pulling sumo looking like big-bird in the yellow shirt. I am no sumo technician, but I think it is pretty good. If you watch the video, you will see what I mean about squatting down to the bar and keeping your chest up. A good cue for you on this might be to look up at a 45 degree angle.

Thanks man, also FWIW, I wasn't doing "sumo" deads in that video, they were "semi-sumo" so I know my feet weren't as wide as you thought they should have been.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

Sleep...just adding.

I usually grab the bar, straighten arms and get my torso as upright as possible to take the slack out of the bar. Then I sink hips.

Thanks man, also FWIW, I wasn't doing "sumo" deads in that video, they were "semi-sumo" so I know my feet weren't as wide as you thought they should have been.

Word. Sorry if I came off a bit harsh, didn't mean to drag you down. I'm not sure why you are doing the semi-sumo? I think you should scrap it and just go all the way sumo unless there is something preventing you from doing so.

I feel like I've finally found the Holy Grail of Deadlifting (tm). When I bend down to pick up the bar, I bend my back like a scaredy cat, and then from that position squeeze my ass tight, thus straightening my lower back, and pull. It feels GREAT, with absolutely no pain anywhere, unlike when I used to really hyperextend and arch my back. Now I just let it be in whatever position it wants. Instead of thinkin' 'bout pushing down on the floor, I'm imagining thrusting the hips forwards.

Looking at the video, it doesn't look very good but what do I know? That's why I'm asking Note that as I said, this was also a PR, so it was really at my limits, so of course the form is not perfect.

I feel like I've finally found the Holy Grail of Deadlifting (tm). When I bend down to pick up the bar, I bend my back like a scaredy cat, and then from that position squeeze my ass tight, thus straightening my lower back, and pull. It feels GREAT, with absolutely no pain anywhere, unlike when I used to really hyperextend and arch my back. Now I just let it be in whatever position it wants. Instead of thinkin' 'bout pushing down on the floor, I'm imagining thrusting the hips forwards.

Looking at the video, it doesn't look very good but what do I know? That's why I'm asking Note that as I said, this was also a PR, so it was really at my limits, so of course the form is not perfect.

Very solid form just need to fix your head position it should be neutral., Eyes should be looking forward from the start of the pull this will also give your hip a bit lower starting point(more leverage). Sound like you preloaded the bar sometimes on a couple could see the torso pause while hips were rising. Vid makes your lower back look like its slightly rounded rather than arched, not sure. In addition to the hips shooting forward focus on lifting the chest up quickly.